It may sound like science fiction, but Brazil has built the world’s largest mosquito factory—and the insects are bred for a very specific purpose: to stop the spread of dengue. Every year, dengue infects thousands of people in Brazil, leading to hospitalizations and even fatalities. Now, scientists have found an innovative solution.

How the Factory Works

Located in Campinas, São Paulo, the factory produces around 19 million mosquitoes per week. These mosquitoes are Aedes aegypti, the same species that spreads dengue, chikungunya, and Zika virus. But here’s the twist: they are infected with a harmless bacterium called Wolbachia, which prevents the dengue virus from multiplying inside the mosquitoes. Even if these mosquitoes bite humans, they cannot transmit the virus.

Spanning 1,300 square meters, the facility functions like a high-tech industrial unit. Scientists and technicians carefully monitor every stage of mosquito development, ensuring they are healthy and ready for release into the environment.

Breeding the Wolbachia Mosquitoes

The process starts with thousands of water-filled trays, where mosquito eggs are placed. Larvae hatch and eventually develop into adult mosquitoes, which are kept in special cages.

• Male mosquitoes are fed a sugar solution.

• Female mosquitoes are fed artificial blood, packed in bags resembling human skin, allowing them to feed naturally.

The mosquitoes breed in these cages for about four weeks, laying eggs that carry the Wolbachia bacteria to the next generation. Every step—from egg counting to sex determination—is automated, and environmental factors like temperature, humidity, and light are tightly controlled.

Impact on Public Health

The Brazilian government is running this as a major public health initiative. Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes have already been released in multiple regions, leading to a sharp decline in dengue cases. Importantly, the bacterium is harmless to humans and animals, affecting only the virus within mosquitoes.

Global Interest

This groundbreaking project has caught the attention of scientists worldwide. Experiments using Wolbachia mosquitoes are ongoing in India, Indonesia, and Australia, with hopes that this approach could become a powerful tool against dengue, malaria, and other mosquito-borne diseases in the future.